Friends or Enemies? The End of the World?
by Doki
Summary: A new tournament to fight in. But Yusuke has something more important to take care of! Will the team survive witout him!A lotta fighting! Please R&R!
1. Kurama's Little Friend

This is my first fanfic so... go easy on me if it's bad.  
  
Kurama and Hiei are walking through a forest. They then suddenly sense a powerful presence somewhere near them, "Hiei do you sense that?" Kurama whispers.  
  
Hiei dashes his eyes around, drawing out his sword. " HI!!!" a female fox demon popped out of nowhere.  
  
Hiei gasps, hopping backwards, "Who the Hell are you!?" he yells.  
  
"Woah there..." another girl with pigtails stepped out of the shadows with a smaller fox demon and a blonde haired guy with pointy ears.  
  
"Who are you?" Kurama stayed in an alert position.  
  
The girl with pigtails laughed, "Heh... Sorry, we scared you. My name is Tora. The goofy taller fox demon is Aurora. This little fox demon is Kitsune and he is Ryo..." Tora sighed, "...and now I'm leaving... Good luck!" she sped off quickly.  
  
Aurora circled around Kurama, "Hm? What kind of demon are you?" then she took off quickly, screaming, "The flowers!"  
  
"Aurora wait!!!" Ryo shouted, taking off after her.  
  
Kitsune stood in place staring at Kurama and Hiei. She put her thumb in her mouth.  
  
"Later, Kurama," Hiei grumbled then shot up into the trees.  
  
"Hiei! Grr..." Kurama looked down at the small fox, "Um... Do you know where your friends went?"  
  
"My-My mommy?" Kitsune uttered in her tiny voice.  
  
"Mommy? Oh, yes! Mommy... Where did your mommy go?"  
  
"I don't know... Do you have canny?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Canny?"  
  
Kurama thought for second, "Canny? Candy?"  
  
"Candy!"  
  
"Uh..." he gazed off in the direction Aurora and Ryo went but saw nothing, "O-Okay. Let's... go get some candy..."  
  
Kitsune climbed up on Kurama's shoulder, holding on to his hair.  
  
Hiei made it back into a small town. He felt bored and wanted to fight someone but he really wanted a challenge. There wasn't much of that in this small town though. Then he could see Tora in the distance. She was leaning on a ledge, looking down at something. Hiei was curious so he zipped over, making sure not to be seen by Tora. He could see what she was watching from a tree nearby. It looked like a street fight was going on. Tora was shaking her head.  
  
"Pitiful. Just pitiful. How can such pathetic fools continue to live on," she grumbled to herself.  
  
Hiei cracked a small smile as if to agree.  
  
One of the lower-class demons heard Tora's comment, "What did you say, little girl!?"  
  
Tora frowned with a bored expression.  
  
"What? Don't feel like talking now? Thought all you little girls were about was talking. Ha! Ha!" the demon obnoxiously laughed, stirring up more loud laughter from the other demons.  
  
Tora leaped over the ledge, "Don't ever compare me to those inferior humans!"  
  
"Ha! Are you going to do something about it, widdle girl? Ha! Ha!" the demon laughed louder.  
  
Tora growled, "Grr... DEMON DAGGER!!!" she shouted and her fist glowed brightly, emitting great power.  
  
Hiei became interested as he could feel fear amongst the lower-class demons.  
  
"Take this!" she thrust her glowing fist into the ugly demon's stomach; blood spurted from his mouth as he was blown away into the wall.  
  
The power surrounding Tora slowly diminished as she brushed off her black sweater. She glared around at the other demons around her. They stepped back, holding their hand and claws up. Then she smiled with satisfaction and jumped back up on the higher surface where a large crack had formed from the pulverized demon. Hiei looked from Tora back down at the frightened demons. He heard one of them say, "Sheesh... Terror comes in all sizes. Huh? Of course, there was that Genkai lady too..."  
  
Kurama finally found a small candy stand next to some old shops. They were selling pretty good variety of candies for a small stand. Kitsune's eyes lit up with delight as she reached for a lolly-pop.  
  
"You want that one?" Kurama smiled and Kitsune nodded, "Okay, the red one and the blue one..." Kurama said to the stand keeper.  
  
Kurama sat on a bench overlooking the ocean. The sun was still high in the sky but the water sparkled beautifully. Kitsune plopped down next to Kurama licking the sweet lolly-pop. Kurama continued to smile wondering who Aurora, Ryo, and Tora really were because of the great power he sensed in their presence. Then he looked back down at the innocent Kitsune and thought they couldn't be that bad if they traveled with this little girl.  
  
"Kitsune?" Kitsune glimpsed up at Kurama, "What are those other people to you?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Aurora, Ryo, and Tora..."  
  
"Aurora is my mommy," Kitsune licked the lolly-pop, "Ryo is a member of Tora's gang... and Tora is another form of my mommy..."  
  
Kurama tilted his head, "What? Tora is what?"  
  
"Another form of my mommy. They have same bodies... er... except for the ears and tails... but they have different souls. Their eyes are different colors..."  
  
Kurama thought about that. Reborn? But how could they both be here??? That doesn't make any sense... Kurama shook his head around. He looked at Kitsune, rocking back and forth with a big smile on her face. ...And Kitsune is... Aurora's daughter. Not Tora's. Great. This will just hurt my head trying to think of the answer this way. Kitsune couldn't know all of the answers. Kurama crossed his arms and started licking the red lolly-pop.  
  
Tora leaned against a wall. Yawning. Hiei still watched from a far, hiding in shadows. Hiei wasn't sure why he was following her but he continued to do so anyway. He looked away for a moment because he thought he heard something, "Wha...?" but there was nothing there, and then he turned his head back towards Tora. Aurora stepped on Hiei's head.  
  
"Ah! Damn it! Where did you come from!?" Hiei whirled around letting Aurora drop lightly to the ground.  
  
"Well, I thought you heard me," she touched her chin, "Wait a minute... Are you STALKING Tora?" narrowing her eyes, she looked from Tora in the background back to Hiei.  
  
"What!? Why don't you just get out of here before I rip your tongue out!"  
  
"Eww... No need to be so grouchy... Alright, I'll leave you to your stalking..." she paused, watching Hiei clench his teeth together, "Oh, do you know where Kitsune is?"  
  
Hiei huffed, "Grr! Last time I saw her, she was with Kurama..."  
  
"Okay, bye. Bye!" Aurora disappeared in the shadows again.  
  
When Hiei turned his head toward Tora, she was right in front of his face, "Ah! Damn. You two..." Hiei then noticed that their faces looked similar.  
  
"Are you following me?" Hiei had his jaw dropped open and said nothing, "Hello! Earth to... What is your name?"  
  
Hiei snapped out of his trance, "Uh... Hi-Hiei..." 


	2. Tora the Tiger

Okay, now to continue...  
  
"Hiei? Hm... ARE you following me?" Tora asked again.  
  
"What!? Of course not! Why would I have a desire to follow someone so limited in power..." Hiei snapped and thought he had just imagined that they looked the same.  
  
"Did you say... limited in power?" Tora gritted her teeth and Hiei didn't answer, "You think you have more power than me!? Well, maybe you should just prove it! I'll fight you right now! Let's go!!!"  
  
Hiei crossed his arms, "Are you serious? Well okay. But don't cry when I beat you," Hiei took out his sword, "I hope you don't mind but I think I'd like to start you off with my sword. Maybe I'll decide you're worthy of my incredible spirit energy later."  
  
"Grr... Take this!!!" Tora tried to hit Hiei but he dodged out of the way and instead she slammed her fist into a tree, knocking it down.  
  
"Ha! You missed!" Hiei quickly had to move again because she seemed to be almost as fast as he was. He thought to himself... Hm. She may actually keep me interested. Guess I shouldn't underestimate her.  
  
Tora's fist gradually grew of a brighter glow as she continued to swipe them at Hiei, "Why don't you hold still and take it like a man!!!"  
  
"I'm not going to hold still! But this should be of enough satisfaction for you!" Hiei then started slashing his sword at Tora.  
  
Tora ducked after his first slash then winded around the trees with Hiei following. They moved deeper into the forest, coming closer to a cliff, very high off the ocean surface below. Hiei tried to hit Tora vertically. Tora reacted by knocking his blade away and it stuck into one of the trees.  
  
"Wha-Fine, my fists will probably present more torture to you anyway!" Hiei then attacked with his fists and they both started knocking each other's heads around senselessly.  
  
Kurama and Kitsune were just walking around at the time when they could see trees in the forest below them rattling and falling down, "What's that?" Kitsune asked, taking her thumb out of her mouth.  
  
Kurama raised and eyebrow, "Hm? I don't know..." then he thought that Aurora might be down there causing the commotion.  
  
"Argh!!!" Tora yelled as she fell to her back.  
  
Hiei took a breath, "Puff... Puff... Ha-had enough?" Tora got up on her feet again, "... No? Fine. Just more time for me to rip you to shreds!"  
  
They hit each other in their faces numerous times. It was hard to even see how many punches were actually landing. Blood had flown from their mouths and they were moving dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. When they had finally noticed, it was too late and they both tumbled off the edge with their arms flapping about. They both screamed as they looked down at the jagged rocks waiting in the water. Tora would have hit bottom first but she managed to get her hand into the crumbling wall. Hiei was falling face first and saw that Tora had gripped the wall so he put his hands out to grab her legs. He succeeded in doing so, but it tore them both off the wall but now it wasn't such a long way down. They both landed on separate large flat rocks.  
  
"Uhg... Damn you Hiei..." Tora mumbled trying to raise herself up but couldn't.  
  
Hiei blinked his eyes a few times, realizing he wasn't dead, "Oh... Stupid... cliff..." then he let his head drop back on the rock.  
  
"What? Where did the energy go?" Kurama said as he stopped around in the middle of the forest.  
  
Kitsune looked up at him with her thumb in her mouth again. Then she zipped her eyes off away from him, staring at the bushes.  
  
Kurama scratched his head in confusion. Then Aurora popped up in front of him again. "Ah! Why do you keep doing that!?" Kurama snapped.  
  
"Oh, so it was you who has been watching little Kitsune," Aurora twirled around, smiling.  
  
"Uh, yeah. She's been a good girl..." he walked over to Aurora and whispered in her fox demon ears, "...How could you leave her alone like that?"  
  
"She wasn't alone," Aurora tapped her chin.  
  
Kurama shook his head, "Well, you don't know me. I could've been some sort of demon that eats children, you know?"  
  
Aurora giggled, "Hee. Hee. No offense but I just couldn't take you for that type of demon. Just look at those innocent eyes of yours... Well, anywho. I am new at this mother thing. I sorta just got here and had Kitsune planted right in my arms. I didn't even know I had a daughter."  
  
"Where did you come from?"  
  
"Hm... Approximately seven hundred years in the past. I guess. Well, actually six hundred years because I was probably born about seven hundred years in the past."  
  
Kurama's eye twitched, "Come again..."  
  
Hiei finally woke up with bruises all over and dry blood at the sides of his mouth. He forced himself up on his wobbly legs. Everything around him seemed to be spinning for a few moments then he caught site of Tora who was still face down on the large rock. The ocean was splashing loudly against the rocks. It sort of gave Hiei a headache with the condition was in. With his energy so low he could barely take one step but he tried to get over to Tora anyway. When he managed to fumble his way over to her, he knelt down on one knee and checked the pulse on her wrist. 


	3. Reborn?

Hiei checks Tora's pulse...  
  
"Un... You..." Tora's eyes blinked once then shut again.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"You just wait... I'll be up in a second..." she paused, "A few seconds..."  
  
Hiei stood up then fell to his back next to Tora.  
  
Aurora yawned, "Oiee... I think that's all you need to know. So..." her ears fluttered, "Oh, do you hear that? Hm. Gotta go!" she scampered away, leaving Kitsune with Kurama again.  
  
"Aurora!" Kurama sighed then turned to Kitsune, who looked in the direction Aurora went, "It's getting late. Do you know where your mom will be staying?" Kitsune shook her head. "Well... I guess we can walk around for a while until she comes to find you."  
  
Tora raised her head; feeling like her insides had been squished. She could see the feet of Hiei and she thought it'd be easy to attack him now but that just didn't seem very fun. Instead she stood up to see if she could even move. After a few minutes of shaking off the pain she turned her attention to Hiei once again. He was still out so she kicked the side of his leg.  
  
"Wake up! It's time to finish this!" Hiei wiggled slightly, "Hey!!! Get up!"  
  
Hiei opened his eyes to see Tora looking down on him, "Grr... Fine. Just step away and I'll stand up."  
  
Tora stepped back a few feet, waiting for him to rise, "Okay then. Now, will you get up?"  
  
"Alright! Just shut-up! Iee!" Hiei was up on his knees when Tora kicked his chin, forcing him back to the rock surface, "Dammit! Why the Hell did you do that!"  
  
"That was for pulling me off the cliff!"  
  
"You were going to fall anyway! Your arms would have given up pretty quickly!" Hiei rubbed his chin, getting back up.  
  
"GRR! Get up now! So I can finish you!"  
  
"Finish ME! I think you were the one who was about to be finished! Ow!" Tora punched his face then he sneered, and they were fighting once again.  
  
Hiei did an uppercut and Tora was dropped into the water. She got up with the water at waste-high and let her fists glow. Hiei didn't hesitate to attack again. He jumped at her, kicking her face. That made her twirl almost sinking under the water. Then she shouted, "STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN!!!" and this commenced a combo attack as she threw three spheres of bright energy at Hiei's feet. He was lifted high into the air being hit three times, rising like stairs. Then Tora shouted, "HEAVENLY LIFT!!!" and she threw another sphere down but right at her own feet to bring her above Hiei's level, very high in the sky now. Hiei had an expression of pain, as Tora was emotionless when she shouted another attack, "HELL'S HAMMER!!!" and she straightened her body, locking her fists together then slamming them into Hiei's back. He fell a lot faster then when he came up. He thought to himself... Damn. This could actually be the end. What did I do!? No! I must live... I just have to... Of course he was coming closer and closer to the ground now.  
  
Tora was falling; unusually slow with her arms crossed when she whispered, "Hmph. I guess his lesson should be learned now." Tora then vanished and reappeared a mile below Hiei. She hovered above the ground waiting for him. When he came to her level, she sliced her leg horizontally, knocking Hiei into the cliff wall.  
  
"Argh!" He groaned then slid down the wall to the sandy beach.  
  
Tora raised an eyebrow with a frown on her face, "You shouldn't have continued to infer me as weak," she looked at his headband. "You know..." she paused, walking over to Hiei, and he was still trying to catch his breath, "I get the feeling that there is something behind this..." He didn't say anything, mostly because he couldn't and just let Tora see his Jagan eye. "Wha-I knew it! A third eye-the Jagan eye-Why didn't you use it?"  
  
Hiei took a moment to answer, "...Because... I didn't think I would have to..."  
  
"Well, do you think you can change your mind?"  
  
"...Maybe...later."  
  
Kurama's eyes grew wary with Kitsune's arms rapped around his neck. She was perched on his shoulders, fast asleep. Kurama was just sitting on a bench, a different one now, overlooking the forest and the ocean. The sun was gone now and the sky was full of stars. He crossed his arms, trying to stay awake. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Yusuke and Kuwabara approaching. They both had their hands in their pockets and they also looked tired.  
  
"What are you guys doing up so late? And why are you here?" Kurama asked keeping his voice soft.  
  
"Oh, hi Kurama. We got kicked out of that hotel we were staying in because of a fight, this genius, chose to get into. Right in the hotel lobby," Yusuke mumbled.  
  
Kuwabara snapped, "Hey, they should expect fights since they know that we are going to compete in the Flying Dragon Tournament!"  
  
"Quiet! Kitsune's trying to sleep," Kurama quickly warned.  
  
Kuwabara raised an eyebrow and scratched his head, "What kitsune? Wha- What's on your shoulder!?"  
  
"Be quiet!" Kurama lowered his voice, "I'm watching Kitsune for a... for someone."  
  
"Who?" Yusuke inquired, standing up straighter.  
  
"Well, uh. A demon girl."  
  
"Yeah, I guessed that much. This little kids got furry ears and a bushy tail..." Yusuke looked closer at Kitsune's twitching ears.  
  
Kuwabara held his chin, "A girl, huh? A pretty girl Kurama? What's she like?"  
  
Kurama thought about that, "...Hm... She's a fox demon and Kitsune is her daughter."  
  
"Oh. So she's old then..."  
  
Kurama snickered, remembering how old Aurora told him she was.  
  
"What's so funny?" Yusuke shuffled his feet around in the dirt.  
  
"Well, her appearance might tell you that she is around... maybe sixteen or seventeen but she is actually a little over seven hundred is what she told me."  
  
"...Seven hundred???" both Yusuke and Kuwabara said.  
  
"Yes. Aurora, that's her name, has quite a strange story. She is actually a past life of another girl named Tora who is also in this town somewhere..."  
  
Now Yusuke scratched his head, "Wait... How could they BOTH be in the same time period?"  
  
"That's what I asked her. She told me that she had come here through a time portal in Spirit World," Kurama paused when Kitsune squirmed a little, "...Koenma brought Aurora here when he had found out that she had a daughter who was suspended from life until recently. Kitsune. Aurora didn't know she had a daughter because her memories of Kitsune were completely erased by Akkei. He was actually the father and also the one who put Kitsune in animated suspension. She was kept in a crystal capsule made of a lot of stolen spirit energy."  
  
"So, what the Hell does that mean?" Yusuke said.  
  
"Is that guy still alive?" Kuwabara squealed.  
  
Yusuke raised an eyebrow, looking over at Kuwabara, "Why? You scared?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Keep your voices down," Kurama warned again, "Aurora doesn't know if he is still alive but Koenma probably does and keeping a person in such a powerful environment for such a long time more than likely means that when Kitsune grows up more, she will be powerful..."  
  
"Good powerful or bad powerful?" Yusuke's voice cracked at the thought of him having to be busy with another case.  
  
Kuwabara leered at Yusuke, "Kitsune's father's name was Akkei. You know what it means. Like evil scheme; trick..."  
  
"Shut up! I know what it means. Oh, well. At least it won't be for a few years before this little toddler grows up," Yusuke sighed in relief.  
  
"I think, perhaps we should ask Koenma about this situation..." Kurama suggested.  
  
"Why? If it really were that important, he would have come to us by now. Right?" Yusuke wined.  
  
"Yeah, I guess he would have, huh?" Koenma piped up, walking towards them in his teenage form.  
  
Yusuke whirled around, "Grr... Why the Hell do you have to sneak up on people like that?"  
  
"I think you've rested enough, Hiei," Tora mumbled. She was sitting down on the beach, also regaining the energy she had lost.  
  
Hiei stood up, "So, you want to fight with the Jagan eye..." Tora nodded, "You do realize that you will suffer painfully..."  
  
"From what I've seen, I've come to the conclusion that you're all talk."  
  
"Let's test that..." Hiei's Jagan eye opened and he and Tora took fighter stances, "You will regret what you have done."  
  
They watched each other, waiting for some one to make a move. Finally Tora cocked her head and took two steps then disappeared. Hiei darted his eyes around, searching for her. Her spirit energy had vanished. She emerged from the wall behind him and called out, "Demon Dagger!" It was the attack she had used on the lower class demon. Hiei took the hard hit and slammed right through a bunch of the rocks in the water. They shattered to pieces when he reached the surface of the water. Quickly he got out of the water and stood on one of the flattened rocks. He began to gather spirit energy while he waited for Tora to come forth. She came up behind him again as Hiei had expected and he turned and shouted, "DRAGON OF THE DARKNESS FLAME!!!" Tora gasped and her only option to receive less damage was by forcing herself backwards for it was much too late to use the Heavenly Lift. Instead she yelled, "WINDS OF DOOM!" Then she realized that doing this could actually destroy both of them and Hiei also knew this but both of their attacks had already been released. Fear had overcome them. Both of them tried to do what they could to escape. The area exploded with all the energy and lit up brilliantly.  
  
"Ah! What was that!?" Kuwabara squealed after they had felt the ground shake.  
  
The three of them looked towards the ocean to see a flash wear down. The ocean surface seemed to turn a different color as well. Kitsune woke up after brief earthquake and her eyes widened along with the others.  
  
Yusuke said, "She we go see what that was?"  
  
Koenma settled back into a cool position, "You probably should... So get moving!"  
  
"Aw... Fine! Let's go, Kuwabara..."  
  
Kuwabara nervously laughed, "Oh. Heh. Heh. Yeah, okay."  
  
--Should I make the chapters longer?-- 


	4. Awkward Silence and a New Assignment

--Yusuke and Kuwabara had just gone to see what the commotion near the ocean was. Hiei and Tora had practically blown each other away--  
  
"Ah..." Hiei's voice was shaky and weak as he tried to rise from his back. Things were blurry in his vision and he could only really see out his left eye of the three he had. Everything seemed to look black and smoke was still swirling around.  
  
"Hiei! Is that you down there!?"  
  
"Heh. Funny. I thought I heard Yurameshi for a second there-Wait..." Hiei's vision cleared up a bit and at the edge of the cliff he could see little figures who were Yusuke and Kuwabara looking down at him. "Oh-great..."  
  
"Let's get down there..." Yusuke said, searching for a way down.  
  
Kuwabara flinched, "What!? Can't you see all that smoke? Ask him what's down there first?"  
  
Yusuke shook his head, "Don't be such a baby. Here, follow me."  
  
"Grr... I'm not being a baby! I just thought it would be a good idea to go down prepared..."  
  
"Ow! Ah-where is she?" Hiei groaned, managing to rise up on his elbows. He could see something lying down in the distance. It was for sure Tora. She was a little slumped up against the wall. "There you are. Grr... Can't get up..."  
  
"Whoops!" Yusuke fell to his back and slid down the wall with Kuwabara right behind him. "Don't worry-Hiei-Helps coming!"  
  
"How fortunate for me..." Hiei closed his eyes and fell unconscious.  
  
When he had open them again, he was lying in a bed, bandaged up very well. He almost felt like he had a straight jacket on. Looking around at the surroundings, he guessed that he was in a hospital that dealt with combatants of the Silver Stadium. To his left, Tora was sleeping silently, also bandaged up quite well. Out the window on his right he could see that it was noon. He wondered what the Hell he was thinking by being so ruthless in the battle with Tora. It must have been because she was irritating him. At the same time he also felt...  
  
"How are you doing, Hiei!?" Yusuke trampled in with Kuwabara beside him and Ukina, Kurama, Botan, and Keiko coming in behind them.  
  
Hiei rolled his eyes; a little confused that all of them would show up to see him. They were talking but he couldn't really hear them because he was thinking about the battle and Tora again... I bet she is as much a loner as I am. Even with others around... always alone... I wonder if she feels that way...  
  
Yusuke continued to babble when he finally noticed that Hiei wasn't even listening, "Hey! I'm trying to cheer you up here!"  
  
"Geez! He never listens because he thinks he's better than us!" Kuwabara clenched the bar at the side of Hiei's bed, staring at his face. "Huh!? You're still not listening, are you!?"  
  
"Would you shut up," Tora's muffled voice finally was heard.  
  
They all turned to see her glare then close her eyes. Hiei glanced over as well. Then Kuwabara leaned towards Yusuke to whisper, "You know-I don't trust her. She seems really suspicious..."  
  
Kurama stared at her face until he recognized her, "Wait. Aren't you that girl from the forest?" then he looked at Hiei again and asked, "Why would you get in a fight with her?"  
  
"She asked for it..." Hiei quickly replied.  
  
"Well, you shouldn't have been following me!" Tora snapped.  
  
Kuwabara and Yusuke started chuckling. Then Botan and Keiko joined them. Ukina looked confused, "What's so funny?" Botan whispered into her ear and then she started to giggle too.  
  
Hiei was getting mad, "Would you just go away!"  
  
A senior nurse came in, "Excuse me, but if you kids are disturbing the patients, I must ask that you leave."  
  
They all hushed. Then the nurse nodded and continued on her way. Kuwabara saw Hiei's tray of food with pudding on it. He snatched it and dug a spoon in it. Yusuke cleared his throat, "So-Hiei-Is she your new 'friend?'"  
  
Tora growled then slid further under her covers. Hiei noticed then blushed a little, "Just leave me alone!"  
  
Kurama chuckled, "Heh. Maybe we should go. Koenma has some things he needs to tell us-you know about that 'situation...' He wants us to get to spirit world right away."  
  
Kuwabara finished the pudding then said, "Okay!" then he darted over to Ukina, "It is my duty to ensure the safety and protection of you, princess. And I..."  
  
"Alright, let's go," Yusuke said and yanked Kuwabara away quickly, "Get well soon, tuff guy," he said to Hiei.  
  
"Yes, take care, Hiei..." Ukina smiled and left with the others who were also smiling and waving.  
  
"What a group..." Tora said, still with the covers over her face.  
  
Hiei was not yet sure how to feel when people showed some sort of affection towards him. He just wasn't use to it. He stared over at Tora, wondering how her mind worked. He then applied his telepathy powers on her. She was thinking about... Hiei's eyes widened as he read her mind. Was she actually thinking about him? He could have been reading her mind wrong and be mistaking affection with vengeful feelings because he was still recovering. Though now, his own thoughts were going crazy. Tora popped her head out of the covers, being sick of breathing in the obnoxious smell of the hospital covers. She yawned, but not sleepily. Hiei hadn't realized that he was still staring at her but continued to do so anyway. Tora's neck hurt to turn so she didn't try to look over to see him but she felt like someone was watching her. Hiei read that off her mind very clearly and his face burned of embarrassment as he jerked his head away.  
  
"Dammit..." he whispered in pain after snapping his neck so abruptly.  
  
Tora leered over at him, "...I hate these places. They're for the weak-and I am not weak..."  
  
Hiei took a moment to answer, "...Of course not..."  
  
Tora raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Did you just say that I'm NOT weak???"  
  
"Uh..." now more thoughts were racing through his mind. He was taking to long to say something and the silence was driving him insane, "...You're not weak but-you're-not as strong as me." He shook his head a little in disgrace at himself.  
  
Tora narrowed one eye, feeling completely puzzled about him. She sort of admired his strength but she of course would never admit it. She was a little afraid to say anything now. So instead she just gazed around at her annoying surroundings of white painted walls, operating tools, and hospital beds. Outside the door they could hear doctors and nurses rushing up and down the halls, ordering people to clear the way and stuff. Tora felt somewhat awkward with no one saying anything so she tried to pretend that Hiei had fallen asleep, which was completely possible. He wasn't though. He hated sleeping during the day and he could obviously see daylight shining right into his face.  
  
"I hate hospitals too," he murmured.  
  
Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama stood before the child form of Koenma, "Wow! That was a fun ride to get here!" Kuwabara exclaimed.  
  
"Normally, this wouldn't be a place that anyone wants to be in..." Kurama said.  
  
"So here's the whole deal..." Koenma took a deep breath, "We have analyzed Kitsune and the results have informed us that she will grow into a fifteen year old in approximately two months... Then she will be old enough to wield her inner powers fairly well. But the results also say that when she has taken the form of her twenty year old self-that is the time she will be at her full potential-and that is not good because the powers held in her heart are for evil intentions. Akkei made sure of that before he disappeared. So..."  
  
"Wait! So where do we come in?" Yusuke interrupted.  
  
"I was just getting to that," he griped. "Akkei has a special locket called Kokoro which he has hidden in a strange castle built into unknown mountains down to the south. This locket is the key to Kitsune's soul. Her soul would be purified if we could get that locket and string it around her neck..."  
  
"Oh. So you want us to go get it, right?" Yusuke inquired.  
  
Koenma rubbed his head, "Of course, you idiot! Now, get moving! Here if you can't seem to find it, Botan will tell you where to go. She must stay with everyone else in Mitsui because the Flying Dragon Tournament is soon to begin and until you guys return they will have alternates in to fight for you." Koenma handed Yusuke a communicator device.  
  
"And who might that be?" Kuwabara narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Well, I say this will be quite exciting, yeah!?" Jin merrily said as he flipped around in the air.  
  
Touya was sitting on the ground, meditating. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama stood watching Jin flying all over the place. Botan joined them and explained, "It seems that Koenma has left me in charge of assembling a good team so of course I called up Jin, Touya, Chu, and Rinku. But Chu and Rinku have already got a team-Now, I have to find two more fighters..."  
  
"Two? Don't you mean three?" Yusuke scratched his head.  
  
"No, two. I've spoken to Tora, that girl Hiei had a fight with and she agreed to join and Hiei will be staying behind..."  
  
Yusuke widened his eyes, "Huh!? Why?"  
  
"He is still recovering and you guys are suppose to leave today. He isn't ready for the mission you guys are going on but he'll be ready to fight in the tournament. So now I must scout for two more fighters... You guys better get moving before Koenma gets really mad at you."  
  
"Uh, okay. But you better not get anyone who isn't going to help because... Wait! Why do you need two more if you already have four?"  
  
"Oh, Yusuke. Don't you remember that in the Flying Dragon Tournament, they require six fighters instead of five because they really like longer fights? I guess. Now get moving!" Botan cautioned then returned to a paper that she was reading.  
  
So, then Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama waved good-bye to Botan and all the others who came to see them off and they headed out for Akkei's Castle.  
  
--So what do you think? Jin's accent probably won't even sound like an accent if I have him talk more in the future but what are your opinions on my story? Improvements needed?-- 


	5. Assembling a Team and Botan's Headaches

--Think I have to say... I do NOT own the Yu Yu Hakusho characters but I do own Tora, Aurora, Akkei, Kitsune, and Ryo... Okay...--  
  
--Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama had just left for Akkei's Castle in unknown mountains. The Flying Dragon Tournament is about to begin. Botan needs to find two more fighters before that time.--  
  
"My head is NOT a launch pad!" Touya yelled at Aurora. She just ignored him and pounced off his head anyway. "Stop it!!!" He put his palm up and blew his ice shards toward her.  
  
"Touya!" Botan growled. "You guys are on the same team! Don't be trying to kill one another!" Botan was having trouble trying to get every one of the team members to get along. Aurora was getting on Touya's nerves. Hiei and Tora wouldn't stop bickering. Jin continued to insist that he be declared captain of the team, thus getting Hiei even more agitated. Lastly, she still needed a final fighter before noon, which was not far away. She was trying to convince Ryo to fight for them but he was being a jerk about it. She sighed, "Aurora?"  
  
Aurora had been dodging Touya's shards in the distance. "Stop trying slice me up!"  
  
"Are you going to stop pouncing off my head!?" Touya blew more shards at her.  
  
"Eeep!!! Yes, I'll stop!" she climbed up a tree and sat on a branch, wiping her forehead in relief.  
  
"Aurora!" Botan yelled again.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Where's Ryo? He's the only person I can think of."  
  
Aurora's ears twitched, "Um. I don't know."  
  
Botan slumped her shoulders, "Oyiee. Maybe I can just pick up a fighter outside the stadium."  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara were climbing the mysterious mountains at a high altitude. The winds were icy cold and it was snowing. Fog was also starting to surround the mountaintops making it harder to see than it already was. They were freezing for they hadn't brought any special clothing besides their regular clothes. "Dammit, Yurameshi! It's c-cold!" Kuwabara bellowed.  
  
"N-no one said what the weather was going to be like-but..." Yusuke paused, "Damn that pacifier breath, toddler!!!" His voice echoed throughout the seemingly empty mountains.  
  
Kurama stopped climbing at the sight of something below the three. He squinted, trying to identify what it was. Then it hit him, "Great," he mumbled. "Guys! What does that look like to you!?"  
  
"What?!" both Yusuke and Kuwabara shouted.  
  
"Down there!" Kurama pointed. Yusuke and Kuwabara leaned to their sides and stared down at what looked like a castle. They all groaned and started to climb and slide back down.  
  
Back with Botan and the others, they arrived at the stadium, with five fighters, where the Flying Dragon Tournament was to be held. Botan searched around the growing crowd for at least a half decent fighter. Of course, there were only many obnoxious lower class demons. At the time she didn't care because they were about to be disqualified. "There must be someone to put on this team!" She looked at Aurora who shook her head. She still didn't know where Ryo could have disappeared and no one expected him to suddenly show up. Hiei was scowling at Tora as she was to him. Jin came up next to Botan.  
  
"Well, hows about that feller' there?" Jin pointed to a large fat demon waiting in line for tickets. "He could just sit on a poor lad and suffocate them! Ha!" Jin roared with laughter, holding his stomach.  
  
Botan narrowed her eyes with a sweat drop, "Jin! This is serious! If we get disqualified, we'll never find those demon outlaws!"  
  
"THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE FLYING DRAGON TOURNAMENT IS ABOUT TO BEGIN... WILL BOTH TEAMS PLEASE ENTER THE STADIUM IMMEDIATLY..." a voice over the intercom announced.  
  
Hiei uttered, "If they chose to disqualify us, then they will just have to answer to me."  
  
"Ha! You! If our participation is up to you then we might as well go home now," Tora snickered.  
  
"What was that!? Why don't you say that to my face!" he turned around to face her.  
  
She glared, "If our participation is up to you then we might as well..."  
  
Hiei gnashed his teeth together and hammered his fist on the top of her head before she could finish her sentence again. They sprung at each other and started fighting at lightning speed. Other demons watched as the two stirred up dirt from the ground. Jin closed his eyes with a weak smile on his face, "Come on now. We don't want to be drawin' attention to us." He hesitated, "At least, not this way."  
  
Botan was getting angry, "Hey! Stop it! Let's go inside and-I don't know." Hiei and Tora stopped fighting. Both of them spitting blood out on each other's boots. The group got through the lower class demons and entered the large dark stadium. Before they got to the platform entry room, Ryo showed up with his arms crossed.  
  
"Okay, I've thought about it and my reasons for not helping out became- stupid. So, I'll fight on your team for now," he said.  
  
Botan slapped him across the face, "It took you that long to decide that your reasons were stupid! You total, ignorant, STUPID..."  
  
"Hey! I'm here now. Don't make me change my mind," he walked past her to the fighting arena with the rest of the gang behind him. Botan had her head lowered and her face had turned red.  
  
The hostess, Risu, noticed them enter the stadium finally. The other team was waiting on the other side of the large, round platform shined with black coating. Lights were beaming from the covered ceiling. It was a weatherproof dome. (Of course. Because they're dark and eerie. Had to make it dark and eerie.) Keiko, Yukina, Shizuru, (spelling) and Kitsune were going to watch from the first level behind them. The crowd was booing loudly because they still hated them, despite the fact that they knew of their team's strength. "You know-This is actually a nicely built dome. Too bad it's weatherproof. I like the sky." Jin looked up at the high ceiling, "Well, at least there is still room."  
  
Risu spoke into her microphone, "Now, that Team Yurameshi is here-we can start the first battle of the Flying Dragon Tournament!" The crowd roared. "Does each team have six fighters present for the first fight?" she glanced back and forth. "Hm. Okay, then. Will the team captains come to the center of the ring to decide on the way this battle is arranged..."  
  
Jin smiled, "Yes, well with Yurameshi not here. I guess that makes me the actin' team captain. Yeah?" he took two steps toward the ring before Ryo stopped him.  
  
"You? I think I should be the captain."  
  
"What?! You just showed up and now you think you can be the captain? I don't think so!" Jin spit in his face. They argued back and forth and the rest of the team watched with embarrassment. Botan slowly looked over the team members to decide who would be the best captain until Yusuke got back. She had to decide who could be trusted. That ruled out Tora. Who could take the responsibility? That ruled out Aurora. Jin and Ryo seemed to have big heads but it would probably end up being one of them because Hiei and Touya didn't seem to really care. She sighed heavily and just let the two come to an agreement somehow. "I am the best candidate!"  
  
"No you're not! You'll lead this team to its downfall!" Ryo screamed back.  
  
Tora was getting tired of just standing around, "Why don't you let Touya be the team captain. He seems like the best suited for that position-for now."  
  
Hiei glared at her, "Hmph."  
  
Botan stood up, "Yes, that's a great idea! Touya, you are now the acting team captain of this team until Yusuke returns!"  
  
Touya blinked a few times, feeling a little confused, "Okay..." Then he went to the platform and got up on it. The other captain had been getting impatient and had an ugly scowl on his hairy face. Touya looked back for a second then stood still for him to suggest something.  
  
"It's about time! How about we go one on one-alphabetically?" the other captain, Zushuo, said.  
  
Touya nodded and head back to his team. Risu held up a hand in the air and shouted into her microphone, "Okay! An agreement to go one on one has finally been reached and now it's time to see some blood shed! Sorry, a LOT of blood shed!" she pause, "The first battle will be-Ayo Kia from Team Akuma and Aurora from Team Urimeshi! Fighters, to the center of the ring!"  
  
Aurora was a little shocked to have to fight first and didn't much like the alphabetically decision but she headed for the center of the ring anyway. Ayo Kia got up already and stood with a big grin on his face. He was a demon with pointy ears and spiky hair. The rest of him looked human. Aurora seemed to stick out against the rest of the dark demons and the only one who was most like her was the hostess, Risu. Ayo Kia looked over Aurora at her long shiny hair, two-pieced matching dress with matching boots and figured that it would be an easy win for him. He spoke, "Well, sweetie. How's about if I win-and you're not dead. I take you out for dinner some time?"  
  
Aurora frowned, which she rarely did, "IF you win. Sure." Ayo Kia smiled again and waited for Risu to start the fight. 


End file.
